Source: European Parliament
1. The Critical Raw Materials Act[1], which entered into force in May 2024, is the main framework to stimulate extraction, processing and recycling of critical raw materials in the EU. It allows the Commission to identify and support strategic projects linked to extraction, processing and recycling of strategic raw materials. Such projects will help develop European value chains and reduce EU dependencies. The Commission adopted a first Decision listing 47 strategic projects in the EU on 25 March 2025[2].
2. Among the selected strategic projects, three are in Romania and concern the extraction of copper, graphite and magnesium. These strategic projects will benefit from a pre-set permitting timeline of 27 months maximum as well as coordinated support for access to finance and to industrial off takers.
3. The Critical Raw Materials Act is the main framework to create an integrated European supply chains industry. It is complemented by other initiatives, such as the Net Zero Industry Act[3], the Chips Act[4] and the Automotive Action Plan[5] for other segments of the value chain. These initiatives contribute to the strengthening of European supply chains, the reduction of strategic dependencies and the promotion of EU industrial competitiveness.
- [1] Regulation (EU) 2024/1252 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 11 April 2024 establishing a framework for ensuring a secure and sustainable supply of critical raw materials and amending Regulations (EU) No 168/2013, (EU) 2018/858, (EU) 2018/1724 and (EU) 2019/1020 (Text with EEA relevance).
- [2] https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials/strategic-projects-under-crma/selected-projects_en
- [3] Regulation (EU) 2024/1735 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 June 2024 on establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s net-zero technology manufacturing ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2018/1724 (Text with EEA relevance).
- [4] Regulation (EU) 2023/1781 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 13 September 2023 establishing a framework of measures for strengthening Europe’s semiconductor ecosystem and amending Regulation (EU) 2021/694 (Chips Act) (Text with EEA relevance).
- [5] Communication from the Commission to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions Industrial Action Plan for the European automotive sector https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=celex:52025DC0095